NHTSA Complaint #10553948 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT

I TRIED TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND HAD VERY SLOW ACCELERATION. I SWITCHED TO MANUAL SHIFT MODE AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN 5TH GEAR AND WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT. ONCE I STARTED I COULDN'T STOP AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO MAKE IT ACROSS THE LANES. I HAVE HAD SIMILAR OCCURRENCES BEFORE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL SHOP AND THEY CHANGED THE FLUID WHICH THEY SAID WAS VERY DIRTY AND BURNED LOOKING. NOTE, THE TRANSMISSION IS (WAS) SUPPOSED TO BE SERVICE FREE FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. APPARENTLY IT IS A KNOW DEFECT IN THESE TRANSMISSIONS THAT THE VALVE BODY FAILS PREMATURELY AND EVENTUALLY CAUSES CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. VW HAS ADMITTED THE VALVE BODY ISSUE AND EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES AFTER ENTRY TO SERVICE FOR THE VALVE BODY ONLY. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DAMAGE DONE TO THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WHICH CAN, AND DOES, COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR OR REPLACE. THERE IS MUCH DISCUSSION OF THIS ISSUE AT VARIOUS PLACES ON THE INTERNET. *TR